


Two Can (Barely) Keep a Secret

by orphan_account



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, Mindless Fluff, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-08
Updated: 2014-02-08
Packaged: 2018-01-11 14:32:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1174206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto and Rin try to keep their new relationship under wraps and fail miserably.</p><p>Alternatively, each story about how everyone finds out that Makoto and Rin are together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two Can (Barely) Keep a Secret

**Author's Note:**

> Just don't question most of the things that happen here. They just do. More cause, less cause-and-effect.

Makoto softly smiles at the content hum he hears from his bed behind him as he fastens the button on his pants shut. He can almost hear Rin’s toothy grin, though it’s mostly because it’s one of the few times that his voice doesn’t sound like a growl when he says, “That was nice.” There’s a sharp intake of breath, a pleasant sigh, and a, “As much as I hate to admit it, you were right. We should definitely take our time more often. More intimate and all that stuff.”

There’s a shuffle of sheets indicating movement from Rin’s end, and when Makoto turns back to grab the shirt hanging on the edge of his bed, the scowl is back on Rin’s face.

“Oi, what are you putting your clothes on for? It’s Saturday morning, your family’s away until tomorrow, the weekend’s still young. We’re fucking. Repeatedly. Until we’re both immobile. And when that happens, we can cuddle in bed and marathon shit on your laptop.” He smirks, flopping so his naked body’s lying to face Makoto, stomach-down, cheek pressing into his folded arms as he stares up. “Romantic, right?”

Makoto isn’t having any of it. “Didn’t you wake up at the ungodly hour of 6AM to go for a run? You got your chance to be productive, and now I’m getting us food.” 

“Yeah, then I came back and forced you awake so you could help me take a bath. But then you had to insist we go back to sleep for a few more hours. Learn to make good use of your time, Tachibana, you should be honored that you’re dating me so you can get some pointers. Example A: I finished all of my homework yesterday so this weekend could be completely free. And Haru was complaining about some math assignment that I _know_ you haven’t touched yet. Well tough luck, because you aren’t touching that until I’m gone.” 

Makoto wants to argue, but his stomach is too busy doing that jig that requires all the air in his body when he hears Rin use the word “dating.” Lately, that and other words seem to be causing the same effect: “boyfriend,” “relationship,” his own name whenever it’s said in Rin’s voice (in each whisper, sarcastic quip, moan, and every other form). 

It’s been about three weeks, though Rin tells him it’s exactly nineteen days and four hours since the two have started going out. At least, that’s what he told him last night over dinner (“god, no Makoto, I wouldn’t know how many minutes and seconds it is too, I’m not a loser”), when Makoto noted the time on the microwave and told him how late it was getting.

How they got here wasn’t anything special; now that Rin isn’t miserable 99% of the time and everyone’s friends (for most of them, again), it was only natural that Rin and Makoto started to spend more time together, which evolved into them spending more time together alone, which somehow evolved into...this. And this is nice.

They haven’t really told anyone yet. Well, truth be told, they’ve told absolutely no one. Makoto isn’t a huge fan of attention and a barrage of questions directed his way, while Rin still loathes expressing his emotions and obnoxious PDA. Neither are a fan of opening up about their personal life, nor have they come out to their respective families (with Gou being the only exception) and to anyone outside of their friends and teammates. 

Maybe going to this much of an extreme wasn’t the best idea, leaving everyone completely in the dark, but they figured everyone will find out on their own time, eventually fitting the pieces together and treating it as if it was no big deal. It’ll quickly become an everyday fact that holds no real thought value to them. “Oh, the sky’s blue today. Rin and Makoto are together. Nagisa’s trying to affectionately kill Rei again.”

Rin moves so his back hits the headboard and he crosses his arms. He closes his eyes and huffs. “I’m not moving. I’m your guest for the weekend and I expected to be treated to my every whim and desire.”

One day Makoto will learn to start sticking up for himself and defending his decisions. He should start to realize that maybe declining a request every now and then won’t hurt, and maybe what he has to say is probably the better plan even if the other person is making a really good argument.

But right now his boyfriend is just _lying_ there on his bed that can barely hold the two, glowing from a combination of the sunlight coming in through the window and the lingering effects of post-orgasmic bliss, his face lighting up even more when he so much as looks at Makoto…

Caving in another time can’t hurt, right?

“You’re cooking though. I want an omelette.” Makoto chuckles as he begins to crawl back onto the bed.

Rin cheekily smiles, teeth bared and sharp, and it’s mischievous and so perfectly Rin. “I was going to anyway. I know you’re shit at cooking, and I’d rather have your family not come back to a burned down house with two corpses whose cause of death was inedible food.”

Makoto gives a fake-offended pout as he straddles Rin, pulling him down so his head forcefully hits the pillow and Makoto’s face is hovering a few inches from his own. He grabs the comforter behind him and brings it over both of them, pulling it so that it reaches the tips of their heads, closing them in a cozy darkness created only for them. “Mean.”

“Australia does that to you, babe.” Rin doesn’t hesitate to pull Makoto down via tugging on the chain on his neck before immediately deepening their kiss, while Makoto lets the comforter fall and cups Rin’s face with his hands (while Rin’s hands are making quick work on Makoto’s pants) before sliding them along the edges of his throat to his shoulders, squeezing them before going to Rin’s biceps, which he squeezes even harder when Rin moves his mouth to a recently discovered sensitive spot on Makoto’s neck. He’s having a hard time keeping his breath steady by the time his hands make their way over to Rin’s chest and back up again, so he takes that as a sign to press his lips to Rin’s collarbone and breathe him in. 

Both are too busy to notice the front door creaking, a hushed, “Quiet, Makoto’s probably still asleep,” and a shuffle of two pairs of feet heading towards the kitchen.

However, it’s the pair of rebellious tiny voices screaming, “ONII-CHAN!!” that snaps Makoto and Rin out of their Cloud Nine.

“Ohmygodshitshitshitohmygod.” Makoto flails and pushes Rin (who’s now on top and has successfully gotten rid of Makoto’s pants and boxers) off of his bed, cringing at the thud his body makes, trying to come up with some reason with how in the hell his family decided to come back from his grandparents’ so early.

Rin isn’t making the situation any better. He roars as he picks himself up off the floor, “What the hell?”

“Go hide somewhere!”

“I’m naked!”

“Yeah, and I’m not letting you be Ren and Ran’s first live visual of the adult human body! I’m gonna make sure that Ran isn’t allowed to see a penis for at _least_ another ten years.”

“What’s wrong with my dick?”

“Eh?”

“Does that mean there’s something wrong with it?”

“What? No, it’s perfectly fine.”

“That’s what I thought. Now let me back in!”

“No!”

“So I appreciate being one of the first to hear you actually say that word, but now is not the time.” Rin dives and shoves his way in under Makoto’s comforter, pressing his body against Makoto’s side. “Just...get on top of me or something.”

“I know you’re smarter than me, but that is absolutely the worst idea I have ever heard.”

“You’re friends with both Haru and Nagisa. Surely you’ve heard much worse.”

“I don’t know, this is coming from the guy who wanted to swim in the freezing cold water because petals fell in it.”

“Shut up! That’s beautiful!”

“Okay, Rei.”

“Onii-chan? Why is there someone who isn’t Haru-chan in your bed?” Ran whispers.

“And why aren’t either of you wearing shirts?” Ren asks.

Makoto and Rin slowly turn their heads in unison towards Ren and Ran, who are standing in the doorframe, blinking at the sight they’ve never seen before.

Makoto yelps, clamping a hand over Rin’s mouth (because god forbid he starts yelling, or worse, cursing) and adjusts the comforter covering them (there’s not much to do, only their torsos are visible, thank god). 

Plastering on his signature smile and fixing his voice so it’s as pleasant as ever, Makoto says, “Welcome back! How long have you two been standing there?”

Ren responds, “Since Rin-chan said that you go on top of him. Why is that a bad idea?”

“What’s that bottle next to your bed?” Ran adds, pointing at the bedside table.

Makoto tightens his hand over Rin’s mouth when he feels his body vibrating from laughter. It takes a hissed, “Imagine if this was Gou-chan.” to effectively shut him up.

Makoto really didn’t expect his twin siblings to be the first to find out about him and Rin. He sighs, knowing he’s in for way too many playdates and extra treats after dinner that serve as blackmail for his own good.

But for now, he tells his siblings to sit on the floor, because boy does he have some explaining to do. He shouts a hello to his parents, everything’s fine and the twins just startled him and Rin, whom he asked to sleepover, and lies that yes, Haru was invited but he declined. 

Then he focuses his attention back on Ren and Ran. He knows they’ll understand, but the squeeze Rin gives to Makoto’s free arm (oh right, he should remove his other hand) is much appreciated and comforting.

\--

Of course Nitori finds out next. The Samezuka dorms are the next logical choice now that Makoto and Rin have decided to avoid the Tachibana household until further notice and need to find another place to be alone. 

Ideally. 

It honestly isn’t either of their faults that both of them just happen to be really, really loud. 

And that Nitori just happens to be outside the door as a competition of the audio variety is taking place inside his own dorm during the climax (in every sense of the word): Makoto screaming Rin’s name versus Rin’s moaning. 

(Makoto isn’t competitive, but he’s pretty sure he won. However, given the end result, he isn’t quite sure how he feels about this title.)

The poor guy. At least he wasn’t visually scarred and had enough common sense to not open the door. His terrified wailing, “Matsuoka-senpai!! What are you doing in there? Is that Tachibana-san with you?” from the other side was enough to effectively kill the mood though.

Rin yells at Nitori to shut it and to give him a second before yanking on his pants and a shirt (“Rin, that’s mine!”). Makoto scurries to put on his own jeans and only his hoodie to cover his torso, now that Rin’s a full-on shirt-stealer.

Nitori makes a snide remark about how it’s his room and he shouldn’t have to feel unwelcome in it when Rin barks about him invading, resulting in the latter giving a grouchy apology. They make a deal that they text each other when they need privacy (Rin mentions here that Nitori should’ve texted him letting him know that his class finished early, but Nitori argues that it’s not like Rin would’ve heard his phone anyway given all the noise). 

He doesn’t seem to really be mad at Rin, though. His anger is more or less directed at Makoto, who’s not used to death glares, so he doesn’t quite know how to react to Nitori trying to summon the dead to rise up from the earth that Samezuka rests on and impale Makoto. All achieved through squinting as hard as possible in his general direction.

Makoto should make a note to buy Nitori a box of chocolates to apologize, but right now he’s considering asking Haru if he can spend the night because of the increasing possibility of the undead targeting him when darkness falls. 

“I think your roommate wants to kill me.” Makoto sighs over his mocha an hour later.

“Really? That’s strange, since everything that is good in the world is embodied in a hot, giant brunet with an awesome body.”

Rin’s smart, but apparently not astute enough to realize his roommate’s crush on him. 

\--

Makoto tugs on Rin’s hands after a joint swim practice a few days later in an effor to guide him away from the gym. Everyone else has gone, except for Gou keeping an eye on Haru as he relaxes in the pool, yelling at him that he’ll turn into a grape if he’s in there any longer. In quite the dramatic turn of events, Haru doesn’t care, simply opening an eye and giving a small smile before he returns to his serene floating.

Makoto pulls Rin behind into the small hallway leading to Samezuka’s locker rooms and whispers in his ear, “Haru’s raced-out and Rei left forever ago. C’mon, pay attention to me now.” He moves back, extending his arms but continuing to hold both of Rin’s hands. Makoto pouts and does the thing with his eyes that he knows will send Rin into a pile of burgundy and porcelain goo.

(yes, he’s very aware of the thing, and though he only uses his charm for good, there are most definitely exceptions, such as seducing his boyfriend)

He half-expects Rin to respond with an explanation that this place is very public, and while they just left the only people here besides them, it’s best not to take chances. Instead, Rin says, “Why are you acting like I need convincing?” And Makoto laughs, letting go of one of Rin’s hands and leading him to the locker room. God bless being horny teenage boys.

It just so happens they aren’t the only horny teenage boys with a similar plan.

“WHAT THE FUCK?”

Makoto would’ve told Rin to keep it down, that was a bit rude, but he’s too busy staring shell-shocked at Rei and Nagisa, who up until three seconds ago seemed to be trying to converge at the mouth, hands more than comfortable in each other’s swimsuits.

“Please, like you didn’t see this coming.” Nagisa simply waves his hand after collecting himself, the other now resting on Rei’s hip. “You two, however. Interesting.” He taps his finger against his mouth before his face falls. “Damn it, that means I lost my bet with Gou-chan!”

Through Rei’s reddened face buried in his hands, Makoto is able to hear a muffled response from him. Probably something along the lines of, “please stop talking Nagisa-kun, you’re making things worse,” give or take a few words that are too scholarly for everyday conversation.

Nagisa continues anyway, “She bet that Rin-chan was going to end up with Haru-chan. _I_ insisted that it was Mako-chan and Haru-chan who’d romantically ride off in the sunset. Or swim, since this is Haru-chan we’re talking about here.” There’s a pause, probably so Nagisa can allow all four of them to picture either Rin or Makoto drifting off in the ocean with Haru, with fishtails instead of legs and _Part of Your World_ playing in the background. It’s a rather embarrassing image for everyone. 

“Actually, we technically both lost, didn’t we? Maybe you should get the money, Rei-chan! And then we can go out for ice cream with Gou-chan! Everyone wins!”

“Uh.” Makoto isn’t quite sure what to make of everything that’s happened in the past two minutes while Rei stares down at Nagisa and explains that his plan makes no sense at all. Rin, however, tightens his grip on Makoto’s hand (there’s really no point in covering up at this point) and barks, “You placed _money_ on us?”

“Onii-chan?”

Makoto and Rin let go right away as Gou and Haru run in, concerned. Well, only Gou visibly does, but Makoto can tell that Haru’s curious as well. He stares at Makoto as if to ask, _What did the idiot do this time?_ before his eyes flicker to show he’s talking about Rin.

Gou continues, “I heard you scream. Is everything okay?” She turns to Nagisa and Rei then sighs. “You guys, can’t it wait until you get home? 

“You know?” Rin asks.

“Of course I know! As the manager, I should always be informed of the affairs of the team members! I’d prefer the details to be kept to a minimum though.” Gou glares at Nagisa, who doesn’t notice. He’s too busy cheesing at Makoto and Rin, his newfound discovery sweet on his tongue like candy so great that he’s ecstatic to share it with everyone.

But Makoto’s “big brother and captain” stare combined with Rin’s general intimidating demeanor appears to be a powerful combination (Makoto’s sure both hold a hint of desperation though), because Nagisa frowns. Before Makoto can make any sense of that, he widely grins again and turns back to Gou and Haru before they ask more questions. He bows to Gou, “I’m sorry G...Kou-chan. I’ll clarify next time that Rei-chan and I are not in fact leaving, but, you know.” Nagisa follows this with a few pelvic thrusts. 

“Please stop doing Nagisa-chan. I said I’d prefer the details be kept to a minimum.”

When Haru goes to shower and Gou respectively waits outside the gym, Nagisa motions the other three to a secluded corner of the locker room. He pulls Makoto and Rin into a giant hug and promises to keep their secret safe. Rei nods off to the side in agreement.

He winks as they break, saying, “If you need any advice, _any_ , Rei-chan and I are more than happy to offer our sage wisdom!”

“Though I disagree with Nagisa-kun about giving our advice over every topic, might I suggest some places that have been ranked the best for dates in Iwatobi? Nagisa-kun and I have had an 83.3% success rate thus far.” 

Makoto expresses his thanks but nervously rubs the back of his neck, and Rin speaks for the both of them when he flatly tells them both, “Absolutely the fuck not.”

“That’s okay! But we’re gonna double date at one point, and I’m not letting you get out of that one.”

\--

Mikoshiba finds Rin draped over Makoto as the two sit on Rin’s bed, his chin tucked into Makoto’s neck, arms around his shoulders to help support the textbook that they’re both holding in Makoto’s lap.

Compared to the other incidents, this one is fairly innocent. Rin was helping Makoto study English, that was all! It just so happens that most people don’t sit so closely, if closely can be defined as trying to merge into each other. Most people also don’t occasionally lift a hand to adjust the other’s glasses when they note that they’re starting to slide off.

Most people also don’t press one’s mouth into the other’s neck to murmur and suck English phrases into the skin, which isn’t very helpful, but hey, it’s hot, even if Makoto has no idea what Rin’s saying. He could be going on about how “the cheese queen will invade at midnight” and he wouldn’t care.

Mikoshiba is apparently more than thrilled about his fellow captain dating his teammate. “If it helps Matsuoka be less of a sourpuss and more lively during practice, by all means, continue on! A good mood is always important for improving skills as well!”

Rin turns red when Mikoshiba also feels the need to impart his romantic knowledge onto them, except things quickly go way too explicit and Mikoshiba is getting way too nostalgic over previous relationships.

By the time Mikoshiba decides to leave (though it's more like Rin forcibly kicking him out), he turns back one last time to Rin. “Hey, so since this is a secret and all, I’m going to assume that it’s totally fine for me to talk to Kou-kun without you hovering nearby. It’s a bit of a mood-killer you know.”

Rin chucks a pillow at the now-shut door as Mikoshiba’s haughty laugh echoes in the room, grumbling as he goes over to pick it up.

Makoto feels bad, he really does. 

When he expresses this (apologies, like smiles, are natural on his lips), Rin takes the pillow and smacks it against Makoto’s arm. “Don’t you dare fucking apologize for anything. We both decided to keep this relationship on the down low and I’m the one who told you to come here to help you study. It was also my fault for not remembering to lock the door. None of this is solely your responsibility.”

Makoto can point out it’s his fault for being terrible with English, or that he should’ve reminded Rin to make sure the door was locked, but now is not the time. 

Instead he presses on other matters. “You do realize who still hasn’t found out, right?”

Rin sighs. He knows. Of course it’s the two whose opinions they care for the most, and are definitely the ones they’re most nervous about.

“I don’t know how Gou will react. It freaks me out.” Rin admits.

Makoto grins, rubbing one of Rin’s hands under his own, running his thumb over Rin’s palm. “It’ll happen when the time comes. And hey, so long as you keep invading Haru’s personal space and I continue to,” he air-quotes, “‘dote on him like a spouse,’ then we’ll be fine.”

Rin hits Makoto with a pillow again before placing the forgotten textbook between them. “I hope you know that interruption means that we’re not taking our scheduled break anymore. We need to make up for lost time.”

“Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin.” Makoto whines, but the kiss Rin places over Makoto’s pout makes up for it just a little bit.

\--

It’s not like someone discovers that they’re together every single time they hang out, and the times that they have to themselves are those Makoto clings onto dearly. He’s heard the early stages of a relationship are those looked through rose-colored glasses, but he’s a boy who sees the good in everything, so honestly, he doesn’t know how it could be otherwise.

And it’s not like all they do is each other and act as if a nauseating pink background should be behind them at all times. Makoto genuinely likes Rin, always has, and thinks that his increasing presence has been good for him. He hopes that Rin feels that Makoto does the same for him.

Besides, Makoto likes to think they’re subtle enough in public. Even though more and more people have found out about them and the stares have increased, they still act relatively the same. It’s not like they haven’t increasingly been standing next and closer to each other, and there really isn’t anything strange about the two of them talking to only each other during breaks between swim breaks. Rin’s always been less likely to snap at Makoto, and Makoto has never felt the need to take care of Rin like he does with others.

There’s also now, for instance. The two are sharing a bench at a nearby park, knees just brushing and Rin wearing Makoto’s jackets (the occasional passerby would probably only think that Rin accidentally bought it in a size too large). Makoto’s eating from a small plastic cup of ice cream with a wooden spoon, Rin nabbing a bite every so often.

Rin swipes his thumb under Makoto’s lip to catch the drop of melted ice cream staining his skin with chocolate. “Okay…bathe in squid ink, or drink one of my protein shakes that you deem are ‘unfit for human consumption?’”

Makoto grimaces. “Bathe. I can just shower right after anyway. Um...wear Seijuurou-san’s speedo or Rei’s?”

“You’re making me choose which speedo I’d wear?”

“Are you saying you’d actually wear a speedo?” Makoto raises an eyebrow.

“I don’t care, you know my legs would look amazing in them. So when you say Rei’s, you mean the one you told me about when he first joined? The gaudy one with the penguin on the ass? Pass.”

“Should I remind you of your style when you were twelve? It was quite colorful.” 

Rin scrunches his nose and tilts the bill of his baseball hat down to cover his face. “Don’t remind me.”

Makoto drums his hands against his lap to come up with another question. He smiles before asking, “Swim in a pool filled with sakura petals or when the light breaks and causes the pool to have rainbows?”

Rin looks away and grumbles, the tips of his ears turning red. Makoto catches him muttering, “I can’t believe you remember all of this,” before he says just a little louder, “Sakura.”

Makoto laughs. “We can go to the elementary school now, if you’d like. It’d be a bit strange for two high schoolers to go swimming, but we can watch the sun set through the fence and turn the water a nice shade of orange. Kinda like a fiery rainbow, so you're kinda getting both.”

Rin responds with a disgruntled, “Fine,” but Makoto still catches the corner of his mouth turn up at the idea.

\--

When Gou finds out a week later, it’s relatively sweet and how Makoto and Rin hoped the rest of the discoveries would go. Maybe some higher power does want the best for them after all.

Gou taking Makoto to the side and threatening his life is he messes things up? Not so much. Though she smiles right after, with a reassurance that of course he won’t, because he’s Makoto-senpai and a saint (Makoto blushes here), but the chance still exists and the threat still stands.

It’s after swim practice one Friday evening. Makoto and Gou stay back to discuss plans for the next year, Rin lingering to walk Gou home and spend the night at Makoto’s (as far as Gou knows, it’s only for a friendly sleepover and nothing more). 

Gou offers that the three all go out to dinner: the manager, the captain, and the Samezuka-Iwatobi liaison. 

Since Nagisa’s remark about their bet, Makoto’s notices that Gou has a tendency to name-drop Haru, mostly in high remarks and in Rin’s direction. She’s decided to apparently use tonight to go out in full force. 

Gou waves her chopsticks in the air. “You know onii-chan, the effect you have on Haruka-senpai is astounding. I know he’s the same to you.”

“Have you seen Haruka-senpai’s deltoids, onii-chan? Now that he’s well into training again, they’re a lot more defined, don’t you think?” she mentions after the waiter refills their drinks.

Makoto’s patient, but after ten minutes of this, even he’s had enough. Even though he’s across the table, sitting next to his sister, Rin seems to detect Makoto’s discomfort, and helps him by rubbing his foot up his calf.

“I wonder what it must be like to spend most nights alone in his house. It’s the perfect opportunity to take advantage of having a partner over, right onii-chan?”

 _Thud._ Makoto stands up, palms burning after striking the table, and he declares, “Bathroom! Excuse me.” 

No he’s not jealous, he never was of Haru and Rin’s relationship. He reassures himself of this as he splashes the water spilling out of the sink against his neck, cooling himself down. 

“Makoto?” Rin knocks on the door

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

Makoto opens the door just slightly to let Rin in. He doesn’t plaster on a smile, one that crumbles down once he’s alone, instead, turning his mouth up into a familiar one. “Of course I am. It does take it’s toll though, you know.”

Rin nods, and just as Makoto opens his mouth to reassure him further, Rin jumps on him, pulling him into an extremely tight hug and saying, “You mean a lot to me. I just wanted to let you know that.”

Makoto tilts his head down to mark his smile into Rin’s shoulder.

“So you two _are_ a couple!”

“Kou, this is the mens’ restroom!” Rin lets go of Makoto and pats down his shirt, as if scrambling to hide any evidence, though it’s very much a lost cause.

“It’s a single, there are two of you in here, and I know you guys wouldn’t do anything indecent in a public restroom. Right?”

“Rin, what is with you and forgetting to lock doors?”

“That happened once with Mikoshiba and you choose now to acknowledge it’s my fault?”

“This is so cute!” Gou squeals.

Gou lifts her head up and grins when they all return to their table five minutes later. “I noticed that Nagisa-chan hadn’t been bringing up any of Makoto-senpai and Haruka-senpai’s interactions lately. Then I noticed that Haruka-senpai never acknowledges when you two say you’re sleeping over - which has been quite a lot lately - and I assume he’s usually the first to know. I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, so I had to find some way to test my theory. I’m sorry that I had to go to such extremes Makoto-senpai.”

Rin’s silent and Makoto can only reply with a, “It’s okay Gou-chan, your deductive skills are extremely admirable.”

While Rin makes a quick run to his room once they reach the Matsuoka home, Gou admits after threatening Makoto, “You know of the interactions he’s been having with you? I recognized a few from the shoujo mangas that onii-chan used to steal from me. 

Rin flinches when Gou glomps herself onto him before he and Makoto leave. It’s a precious sibling moment, and Makoto doesn’t want to eavesdrop or anything, but Gou seems to be fine with talking in front of him at a relatively normal level.

“I’m so happy for you. You guys would work well together. I know you’ve been happier since the tournament, but you’ve seen especially less cranky lately. Of _course_ it was because of Makoto-senpai.”

“You’re not upset that we hid it from you?”

“Well, you did from everyone, right? You should’ve though, because a manager must be made aware of the affairs of her team members!” She points at Makoto, who nervously chuckles. 

Rin ruffles her hair when they leave, using his other hand to grab Makoto's. The way Gou beams when she catches this and the look she shares with both of them, a mixture of approval and joy, well, it's quite easy for the couple to mirror the grin on her face.

\--

“We should just tell Haru.”

“I don’t want him to think that we’re abandoning him. I can’t do that to him.”

Rin pushes himself off the bed, putting all his weight into one arm as he stares down at the lying Makoto next to him. “Are you implying that I was totally okay and knew what my going to Australia would do to him?”

“What? Of course not. It's not like that at all."

It takes a few minutes of convincing and a kiss on Rin’s forehead to make him feel better.

Makoto tries to change the subject, “You never know, maybe Haru’ll find out before Friday. It’ll save making up some sort of cover-up story.”

“What’s happening Friday?”

Makoto rubs the back of his head. “Our double date with Nagisa and Rei?”

“You better make up the fact that you never asked for my permission for this.” Rin scowls.

Makoto shrugs. “Fair enough. Let me get on that right now,” then goes down to mark Rin’s hipbone with his mouth. Before making his way further down, just when Rin’s hissing stretches out to seconds and gasps, he grabs his school tie from his bedside table and chucks it at Rin. “We’re gonna need to use a gag though. I’m not risking my family hearing.”

The mischievous grin makes its way back onto Rin’s face as he accepts the tie.

\--

The double date is surprisingly painless. Rin and Rei get into a couple of arguments, Nagisa makes one too many innuendos and almost lights Rei’s hair on fire, but other than that, there’s nothing too out of the extraordinary, save for maybe Nagisa and Rei’s cavity-inducing interactions.

Bless Gou’s heart, as she’s been the most efficient in making sure in helping Rin and Makoto’s relationship, even if most of the time, it’s in front of those who’ve already figured them out. She coughs when Rin smiles too widely in Makoto’s direction, and even ordered Makoto to do an extra few laps when he seemed to get too comfortable massaging a kink in Rin’s shoulder.

Some things are out of her control though, for instance, preventing her friend Chigusa from running over when she spots Makoto playing with Rin’s bracelets and kissing his cheek while they wait for Rin’s train afterwards. The platform’s empty and it’s dark out, but Chigusa and Gou both happen to be walking across the street at the same time.

“I’m so sorry you guys! I tried convincing her that you guys were random strangers, but she recognized Makoto-senpai and she’s met onii-chan before.”

Rin and Makoto don’t mind, but can’t tell Gou that, because Chigusa’s too busy cooing over them. She continues to do so until the train arrives and Rin doesn’t hesitate to jump on immediately, though not before pecking Makoto’s lips this time. 

Chigusa looks like she’s about to explode into confetti and sugar and Gou’s face matches her hair.

\-- 

Haru finds out in possibly the worst way imaginable the Monday after. Maybe it’s because, up until recently, he was the common link to Rin and Makoto, the person that means so much to them for completely different reasons, so of course his discovery was the most eventful.Maybe it’s because he’s the last of their circle to find out, and it has to be with a bang.

Maybe that higher power has a cruel sense of irony and wants to return the favor of Makoto picking up Haru from his house every morning, to find him in the bathtub almost every single time. It’s probably some water deity who loathes Makoto.

Fucking water.

“Oh my god,” a very naked Makoto loses his balance and slips on some soap suds whose journey to the drain violently came to a halt, and an equally very naked Rin quickly removes his chest from the tiled wall (where it was being pressed into by Makoto just seconds before) and turns around to keep him from falling, grabbing Makoto's arm and helping him up. It would’ve been cute and probably would have led to a “thank you” blowjob, but the cause of Makoto’s fall is still standing in front of the transparent shower door, eyebrow raised in not judgement, but in an odd mixture of confusion and fascination.

“Haru! I didn’t know you were coming over!”

“What are you doing in the water?”

“That’s the first thing you ask. It would be. Oh my god. TURN AROUND HARU.” Rin snatches the towel hanging over the glass door and hangs it lengthwise over Makoto and himself.

Haru occupies himself by turning on the sink and flicking his fingers underneath the stream of water while Makoto and Rin get themselves together. There’s a bunch of apologies on the former’s part and a string of curses from the latter, but they eventually get dressed and the trio sit down on Makoto’s bedroom floor.

“So. Uh.” Makoto nervously laughs. Even Rin, who runs on the more blunt side of things, has a hard time getting his words together.

“Are you trying to tell me that you two are together?” Haru shrugs. “I’ve known the entire time.”

“You’re shitting me.”

“Really?” Makoto scans Haru’s face, and when the two lock eyes, he knows he’s telling the truth. “And you never said anything?”

“Well, you never told me.” Haru huffs and looks in the other direction.

“Sorry.” Rin and Makoto chorus. 

Haru shrugs again. “I’m happy for you two. I’m glad the two most important people to me have found happiness in each other.” He takes a deep breath and Makoto knows that he’s collecting what he wants to say in his mind before he actually says them. Haru may be opening up more now, but, like Makoto developing his own sense of self and Rin bringing back his jovial side, it’s a process. “Even with past events, I know that you both wouldn’t intentionally leave me behind, especially when its on both of your hands. I trust you on that.” Another breath. “But it’s not even about me. This is you two, and the strength of that doesn’t rely on me. But if you want my blessing, even if you don’t need it, well, it’s always been there.”

Makoto’s eyes widen and his cheeks hurt from how hard he’s smiling. “Aww, Haru!”

Haru instead squints and looks at Rin. “You should check on him. I think I made him cry.”

“Shut up!” Rin chokes, but his eyes are sparkling and his face is contorted from an overabundance of emotion. Makoto lets Rin's head fall on his shoulder and threads their fingers together.

“Well, now that we’ve got that settled, I came here because I wanted to grab lunch with you, Makoto.”

“Why didn’t you call? Idiot.” Rin sneers, but Makoto shakes his head at the lost cause over Haru ever using his phone.

Haru ignores the topic, instead, “I am glad that Rin’s here though. Let’s have a noodle-eating competition.”

Rin lifts his head, but moves his hand up to tighten his grip on Makoto’s shoulder in excitement. “Oh, it is so on Haru.”

\--

It hasn’t quite gotten to the point where their relationship is mere everyday fact, but baby steps must be made.

“Onii-chan! If you dare affect Makoto-senpai’s performance, I’ll rearrange all the stuff in your room!”

“Has Rin-chan’s freaky teeth hurt you yet Mako-chan? Where?!”

“Did you know eating mackerel will help improve your sex drive?”

“Matsuoka! Stop flirting with Tachibana and get your ass back in the water!"

It gets frustrating, but when Rin has no problem kissing Makoto’s cheek and squeezing his hand before he jumps on the podium, Makoto thinks that it might be worth it.

It’s also nice to watch Rin getting into starting position, snapping his goggles back before doing so, gawking at the curve of his spine and the way he readies his face for competition. Makoto likes how he doesn’t feel the need to remove his stare, because now he can keep doing so, and if someone notes how he’s been watching for too long, well, they can now know it’s because he’s completely and totally falling in love with Matsuoka Rin.

**Author's Note:**

> Bah, you can sorta tell where I gave up. Apologies.
> 
> lol AO3's character tags. I would've put everyone, but it's literally every kid who's had a speaking role (there is a severe lack of Nagisa and Rei though, and trust me, I'm so upset).
> 
> I'm starting to notice a trend where I give some throwaway reason for Rin and Makoto being together. They also happen to be banging a lot. And Makoto's family is apparently never home.
> 
> Rei, Nagisa, and Kou also totally hang out together, just the three of them, all the time. Part of their conversations include discussing and analyzing their elders' interactions. Rei likes to say that he has no part in it, but he did keep to himself that Rin and Makoto were logically the most compatible to him, so he did technically win the bet anyway.


End file.
